The economic simulation in Brass Birmingham is tight enough that the game teaches real economic principles. Coal demand drives coal building. Iron demand drives iron building. Merchant requirements drive specific goods production. The market clearing mechanism — using coal or iron spends the cheapest available first — creates a natural price discovery mechanism.

The network value of connections creates an infrastructure investment puzzle. Building a connection that primarily benefits your opponent is sometimes correct because it is the only path to a more valuable location. Understanding when to make infrastructure investments that benefit others is a nuanced economic skill.

For players who have studied economics: Brass Birmingham is the most accurate abstract economic simulation in the hobby. For players who have not: it is the best way to develop economic intuition that I know in game form.